Postgresql over Mysql

I definitely could be wrong, but I have a feeling many developers and IT folk are wondering about the future of the "worlds most popular open source database" vs the "worlds most advanced open source database" these days. At work I've advocated, and thankfully been listened to about migrating away from MySQL and developing internal skills on other platforms. The majority of the clients I get to work with that have databases are a part of large enterprises rooted in MS SQL Server. PostgreSQL makes a perfect companion to MS SQL.

Why not MySQL? As a preface, I want to assert that I've spent YEARS of my life working with Mysql; especially on the CollegeProject; which was a failure; but great learning opportunity.

1.Mysql's licensing has been complicated since I first stared using it. When Sun originally acquired MySQL the license only got more complicated.
2.Mysql's license is OK for web services, not embedded products without associated fees.
3.Mysql is a really great and easy to use database but I really can't help but worry about its free future in Oracle's hands because it completely competes with their product line.

Why PostgreSQL?


1.PostgreSQL is extremely liberal in their licensing. Their license is very straightforward.
2.If you use PostgreSQL along with the PGAdmin tool you'll quickly realize that it has tight similarities to MS SQL Server in behavior and function.
3.PostgreSQL is cross platform. (So is mysql)
4.PostgreSQL offers the majority of the functionality of an enterprise relational database management system.
5.PostgreSQL has proven stable for me in deployments across platform thus far (so has MySQL to be fair).

In terms of background experience to justify up my opinions; I was educated at a 3rd tier university in IT specializing in database management. I have worked with DB2, Oracle, Mysql, SQLLite, MSSQL Server, and PostgreSQL. Despite my education, I've been lucky to have been developing applications in several programming languages which include interaction with relational databases since before I graduated college.

This site uses MySQL because I made it as a young, naive man, but for the million dollar projects I get to work on at my job; I throw my cards in with PostgreSQL these days, and it hasn't let me down yet. Some of the commands and tools are harder to use than Mysql, but I personally think that PostgreSQL is a much safer place to be these days.